Pagan Images, Inc., in association with Anthology Film Archives, cordially invites you to the NewLatino Filmmakers Screening Series – The best and only independent Latino “cinematheque” showcase in New York City — now in its 6th year! — is still ONLY $5! Docs, shorts & features. “Come early, stay late, pay one price.”

NewLatino Filmmakers puts the spotlight on creative Latinas working behind the cameras in both the independent film and Hollywood systems as image-makers. This emerging crop of dynamic filmmakers and producers are putting their unique mark on the industry with their own unique spin on the Latin Film New Wave, and blazing the trail as today’s emerging auteurs. Featuring short-form documentary, narrative shorts and feature presentations. Live panel discussion and Q&A with the filmmakers.

Al Otro Lado (To the Other Side)” tells the human story behind illegal immigration and drug trafficking between the U.S. and Mexico through the eyes of Magdiel, a 23-year-old fisherman and aspiring composer who dreams of a better life. For people south of the border, the “other side” is the dream of an impossibly rich United States, where even menial jobs can support families and whole communities that have been left behind. For people north of the border, “Al Otro Lado” sheds light on harsh choices that their neighbors to the south often face because of economic crisis.

As movingly chronicled in “Al Otro Lado,” Natalia Almada’s debut feature, the border is a place where one people’s dreams collide with another people’s politics, and the 200-year-old tradition of corrido music vibrantly chronicles it all. In fact, if you really want to understand what is happening on the U.S./Mexico border, listen to the corridos, troubadour-like ballads that have become the voice of people whose views are rarely heard in mainstream media.

SOLEDAD IS GONE FOREVER is a spellbinding, visually stunning, psychological drama that explores the long-term psychological impact of political persecution. Based on real accounts, this film presents an intimate portrait of a young immigrant photographer living in San Francisco, Soledad Gonzales, who learns her father’s remains have been found in a mass grave in Chile. Soledad’s recurring visions of chilling childhood images shatter her life, making her discover that these are real memories that have been repressed for twenty years.

Torn by her aunt Delia’s advice to forget the past but faced by the implications of her father’s death, Soledad must make a crucial decision. Does she have the courage to pursue the truth and will this realization finally bring peace to her tortured soul?

Joana is a curious teen ready to explore and have sex and willing to go all the way with her boyfriend, Tommy. Not prepared for the situation, Tommy must score some condoms — FAST — but he must first get past the gatekeeper to his bliss: the local pharmacist, who also just happens to be Joana’s father!

8:15PM NEWLATINO FILMMAKERS – FEATURE PRESENTATION

MUNECA, Christina Soto, Writer/Director (2007, 70 Minutes, Video)

You find love in the most unexpected places. All Esteban wants to do, is to be happy and recapture his creative inspiration. With the death of his muse, and best friend, Pepe — a miniature fox terrier — it seems as if everyone in his life is trying to push their idea of a replacement on him with that of a perfect woman. What’s a man to do?

ABOUT THE SERIES

NewLatino Filmmakers showcases emerging Latino filmmakers/producers whose work is contributing toward the face of the Latino Film New Wave and who have not yet had a major commercial theatrical release. It also features non-Latino filmmakers/producers whose films are Latino-themed and/or whose primary subject matter touches upon the Latino/Latin American experience in a respectful manner, and who have not yet had a major commercial theatrical release. The series is now in its six year and is organized in collaboration with New Filmmakers at Anthology Film Archives.

Anthology Film Archives is America’s only year-round film cinematheque and is one of the few festivals in the world today that is entirely curated and administered by filmmakers. Currently celebrating its 35th year of serving the independent film community. (www.anthologyfilmarchives.org)

Don’t waste your money! Don’t waste your time! This movie was no movie at all. I felt assaulted and disrespected.

Let me tell you what it was. It was one dragged out drug-ologue. Every other scene was about him doing drugs. EVERY other scene! There was no storyline whatsoever.

“I love you Pucchi” “I love you Hector” Why? Was there one scene that showed “love” or why they loved each other? No.

Why was he famous? I don’t know. I know my Mom used to play his music. That’s all I know. That he filled up Madison Square Garden. Oh I think I saw that in a quick clip in the movie between him snorting and him shooting up.

That him and Willie Colon were friends? I guess. All the movie showed was Willie Colon in the background in almost every scene. Why were they friends? How did they meet?

How did Hecor LaVoe become famous anyway? Wouldn’t know from watching the movie. His first hit? Don’t know. It wasn’t in the movie. It was more important to show 3 scenes of him in the bathroom half comatose.

What was his contribution to Salsa? My Mom says he was one of the pioneers of Salsa. Really? No mention of that in the movie AT ALL.

For those that say, “But that was his life… if that’s what he was, then…” Please! He was so much more than drugs. When people packed Madison Square Garden, did they go to see him get high or did they go for his music?

Where was the music in the movie? A few clips here and there. Him rushing on the stage – stoned and belting it out. That’s it. “Tu Amor es un Peridico de Ayer” Never played that song. How is that possible?

The song “Yo Soy El Cantante” That song should have been the triumphant culmination of the movie. Instead you feel like noooooooo. You’re just depressed by the time they get around to that song. Ruben Blades wrote the song for Hector LaVoe and in the movie he dedicates the song to “his friend” LaVoe who of course is by the bar. As Ruben Blades starts singing it, LaVoe, turns around and looks toward the stage like – Wow! What a great song! Should I take that to mean that he had a moment of soberness.

Latinos have enough drug addicts on mainstream media. We don’t need to portray ourselves in such denegration. You don’t see red-blooded Americans saying “Elvis Presley – the King – the drug addict. Wasn’t he the biggest druggie? No. We just hear about his rock and roll music, how he changed music forever, and that’s what made him KING. Not the drugs, not that he died on the freakin’ toilet bowl. (Read the bios of both LaVoe and Presley on wikipedia and see what I’m talking about. Elvis was the KING. La Voe was strung out.)

Thanks Señora Lopez. Thanks a lot. You also did a disgrace to your husband who is I dare say: the “Hector Lavoe” of our time. But now how can I compare if all Lavoe was an addict? But anyway, Marc Anthony has been struggling to act now for years. First he is type cast as a s p i c, gangster, drug dealer, and now you just officially graduated him to play the role of a junkie.

For those that say, “Hey she’s just trying to make money and that’s the bottom line.” If she wanted to make a quick buck you either cater to mainstream white America, or you give us a movie to be proud of. After all, WHO went to see that movie anyway? There was a line all the way around the Whitestone Multiplex in the Bronx. Was there a line at the Beverly Hills Multiplex? I didn’t think so. It was hard enough getting my Dominican friends to go. There’s no way a white person is going to say, “Let me see L Con-Ton-Tay. Not going to happen.

The movie starts off with “Nuyorican Productions”. Here I am feeling proud! Damn it! Don’t be putting my race all up on the face of Drugland.

J-Lo, ¡no sea tan tonta! It’s like someone making a movie about you 20 years from now and only talk about your mistakes. Never mentioning that you were the highest paid Latina in Hollywood. Never saying that you had a top selling movie and top-selling CD at the same time. Never saying anything except about all your failed relationships. How would you like that?!